SDO9653 - Dorchester, Old County Hospital

Excavations of two areas at the Old County Hospital site in Dorchester were undertake by AC Archaeology during the spring of 1999. The largest excavation area - located just to the north of Somerleigh Court - covered an area of approximately 35m x 15m and excavations uncovered evidence for two adjacent, but separate, Roman buildings which had at least 4 phases of use, and appear to have been modified and re-styled over a period of around 200 years. To the west of these buildings was an area which contained a deep hillwash type soil, which was both cut by and sealed Romano-British archaeological features. The features cutting the soil which - based on the associated pottery evidence - are likely to be broadly contemporary with the two stone structures, include a compacted chalk pathway leading to a stone-lined well and a large rubbish pit. Also in this area there is evidence for what may prove to be earlier Romano-British occupation (1st century AD), where a large storage pit and a number of post-holes have been identified. The second excavated area was located in the northern portion of the site, adjacent to Somerleigh Road. Excavations here identified a Roman street line with associated ditches, a roadside building (only partly exposed) and a sequence of later pits and other features cutting into the street make-up. There were a number of subsequent repairs to the road surface and ditches. Following abandonment of the road, it appears that a substantial structure was located in this area, comprising a sequence of post-pits, each with a limestone slab in the base to act as a pad for support. AC Archaeology maintained a continuous watching brief during subsequent groundworks.